1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method, an image output apparatus, an image processing system, a recording medium in which an image processing program is stored, and a recording medium in which an image output program is stored.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a technique has be carried out in which image data subjected to image processing by an image processing apparatus (host computer) is transmitted to an image output apparatus (device) such as a printer, where an image based on the image data is formed on a recording medium and outputted. In this case, there are differences between the color gamut of the image data subjected to the image processing in the image processing apparatus and the color gamut that can be outputted in the image output apparatus. The color gamuts also differ depending on the type and model of the apparatus and the like. Thus, when the color gamut differs, the colors of the reproduced images will differ between the two apparatuses, and thus, color gamut conversion is carried out (also referred to as gamut mapping) that converts the color gamut of the image data processed in the image processing apparatus to colors in the color gamut of the image output apparatus. Further, there has been known a technique in which in order to improve throughput of the image processing including the color conversion, the image processing to the image data is shared by the image processing apparatus and the image output apparatus in accordance with the respective capabilities thereof.
When color gamut conversion of image data is performed in the image processing apparatus, the throughput (processing speed) may decrease as compared with a case where color gamut conversion is performed in the image output apparatus. On the other hand, when the color gamut conversion of the image data is performed in the image output apparatus, precision may decrease as compared with the case where the color gamut conversion is performed in the image processing apparatus.
Moreover, when the image data per se is exchanged over a network, load is put on the network, thereby making the overall processing time slower.